EP0595589A2 - Amplificateur différentiel ayant une sortie équilibrée et une plage de signaux d'entrée de mode commun couvrant la tension d'alimentation - Google Patents

Amplificateur différentiel ayant une sortie équilibrée et une plage de signaux d'entrée de mode commun couvrant la tension d'alimentation Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0595589A2
EP0595589A2 EP93308504A EP93308504A EP0595589A2 EP 0595589 A2 EP0595589 A2 EP 0595589A2 EP 93308504 A EP93308504 A EP 93308504A EP 93308504 A EP93308504 A EP 93308504A EP 0595589 A2 EP0595589 A2 EP 0595589A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
current
output
common
transistors
amplifier
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP93308504A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0595589A3 (fr
EP0595589B1 (fr
Inventor
Marc Henri Ryat
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STMicroelectronics lnc USA
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SGS Thomson Microelectronics Inc
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Publication date
Application filed by SGS Thomson Microelectronics Inc filed Critical SGS Thomson Microelectronics Inc
Publication of EP0595589A2 publication Critical patent/EP0595589A2/fr
Publication of EP0595589A3 publication Critical patent/EP0595589A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0595589B1 publication Critical patent/EP0595589B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/45—Differential amplifiers
    • H03F3/45071—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only
    • H03F3/45076—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only characterised by the way of implementation of the active amplifying circuit in the differential amplifier
    • H03F3/45179—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only characterised by the way of implementation of the active amplifying circuit in the differential amplifier using MOSFET transistors as the active amplifying circuit
    • H03F3/4521—Complementary long tailed pairs having parallel inputs and being supplied in parallel
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/45—Differential amplifiers
    • H03F3/45071—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only
    • H03F3/45076—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only characterised by the way of implementation of the active amplifying circuit in the differential amplifier
    • H03F3/4508—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only characterised by the way of implementation of the active amplifying circuit in the differential amplifier using bipolar transistors as the active amplifying circuit
    • H03F3/45112—Complementary long tailed pairs having parallel inputs and being supplied in parallel
    • H03F3/45121—Folded cascode stages
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/45—Differential amplifiers
    • H03F3/45071—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only
    • H03F3/45479—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only characterised by the way of common mode signal rejection
    • H03F3/45484—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only characterised by the way of common mode signal rejection in differential amplifiers with bipolar transistors as the active amplifying circuit
    • H03F3/45488—Differential amplifiers with semiconductor devices only characterised by the way of common mode signal rejection in differential amplifiers with bipolar transistors as the active amplifying circuit by using feedback means
    • H03F3/45515—Measuring at the active amplifying circuit of the differential amplifier
    • H03F3/45529—Controlling the active amplifying circuit of the differential amplifier
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/45—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers
    • H03F2203/45028—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers the differential amplifier amplifying transistors are folded cascode coupled transistors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/45—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers
    • H03F2203/45126—One or both transistors of the folded cascode stage of a folded cascode dif amp are composed of more than one transistor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/45—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers
    • H03F2203/45212—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers the differential amplifier being designed to have a reduced offset
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/45—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers
    • H03F2203/45232—Two dif amps of the folded cascode type are paralleled at their input gates or bases
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/45—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers
    • H03F2203/45366—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers the AAC comprising multiple transistors parallel coupled at their gates only, e.g. in a cascode dif amp, only those forming the composite common source transistor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/45—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers
    • H03F2203/45402—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers the CMCL comprising a buffered addition circuit, i.e. the signals are buffered before addition, e.g. by a follower
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/45—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers
    • H03F2203/45711—Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers the LC comprising two anti-phase controlled SEPP circuits as output stages, e.g. fully differential

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improvements in amplifier circuits, and, more particularly, to improvements in differential amplifiers that result in high power supply rejection ratios.
  • an object of the invention to provide an improved amplifier stage with a differential output, and rail-to-rail common mode input range.
  • an amplifier that has a rail-to-rail common mode input range, and can be used in low voltage power supply applications.
  • the amplifier includes differential input and output stages, the output stage having first and second current paths.
  • First and second output duplicating circuits are respectively connected in parallel with the first and second current paths in the differential output stage to duplicate the differential output.
  • a circuit for detecting a common-mode voltage difference is provided between nodes of the first and second output duplicating circuits for developing a current related to this voltage difference.
  • a current mirror circuit is connected to receive the current related to the common-mode voltage variation for controlling the current in the first and second current paths in the differential output stage.
  • the amplifier can be implemented with bipolar or MOS transistors, by which the differential input stage can be constructed to provide two pairs of complementary transistors. Each pair of complementary transistors receives a respective differential input. First and second input stage current sources to bias transistors of respective first and second conductivity types. Likewise, the differential output stage may be constructed with first and second pairs of complementary transistors, the transistors of each pair respectively providing the first and second current paths. First and second output stage current sources are connected to provide current respectively to the first and second current paths.
  • a low supply voltage embodiment may have resistors provided in place of the output stage current sources.
  • the circuit for detecting a common-mode voltage difference between nodes of the first and second output duplicating circuits can be established by a transistor having a control element connected to the nodes in the output duplicating circuits and a current path to a supply voltage.
  • the current mirror is further connected to the current path of the transistor, having first and second dc control current paths in series with the first and second current paths of the output duplicating circuits. The transistor senses only common mode current.
  • Figure 1 is an electrical schematic diagram of a differential amplifier circuit having a rail-to-rail input stage, a differential output and a high power supply rejection ratio.
  • Figure 2 is an electrical schematic diagram of a circuit constructed in accordance with the principles described with respect to Figure 1, in which resistors are substituted for current supplies and a cascode current mirror.
  • transistors Q1-Q4 are connected to form a classical PNP-NPN input combination for a rail-to-rail input stage.
  • I0N Variations of I0N are absorbed by transistors QC3 and QC4, while transistors QC7 and QC8 play the same role for I0P1.
  • Transistor Q7 serves as a dc level shift between the bases of transistors Q5 and Q6 and the collectors of the four common mode current carrying devices QC3, QC4, QC7, and QC8.
  • the bases of transistors Q5 and Q6 are connected to the emitter of transistor Q7 at node 26.
  • Common mode feedback is represented by the ICMP and ICMN current sources.
  • the ICMP and ICMN current sources regulate the dc voltages at nodes 0+ and 0- in particular implementations where common mode feedback is needed.
  • An increase of the current difference (ICMP - ICMN) causes both 0+ and 0- to fall.
  • the overall gain of the stage is equivalent to the gain of a non-cascoded stage divided by a factor of 2, due to the splitting of input signals at the emitters of the cascode transistor pairs.
  • any current variation coming from transistor Q1 shares into DI/2 flowing through QC1 as a differential signal current, and DI/2 flowing through transistor QC3 as one-half of the total common mode current that arrives at the bottom mirrors input at transistors QC7 and QC8.
  • the amplifier 10 in accordance with the invention includes a differential input stage 11 to receive a differential signal on input terminals 13 and 14, and a differential output stage 12 to produce an output signal on output terminals 16 and 17.
  • the input stage 11 includes two pairs of complementary transistors.
  • the first pair of complementary transistors Q1 and Q3 receives differential signals on terminal 13 on their respective bases.
  • the complementary transistor pair including transistors Q2 and Q4 receives input on input terminal 14 on their respective bases.
  • the embodiment 10 shown in Figure 1 is configured with bipolar transistors; however, those skilled in the art will appreciate that FET and other transistor types can be equally advantageously employed with appropriate circuit modifications.
  • the emitters of the PNP transistors Q3 and Q4 are connected through a current source I0P1 to a line 20 connected to a power supply voltage. Likewise, the emitters of the NPN transistors Q1 and Q2 are connected by a current source I0N to a line 21 connected to ground, or a reference potential.
  • the output from the input stage 11 is derived on the collectors of the transistors Q1-Q4 that are connected to the output stage 12, as next described.
  • the output stage 12 includes two pairs of complementary transistors.
  • the first pair includes a PNP transistor QC1 and an NPN transistor QC5 having a current path in series therethrough.
  • the emitter of the transistor QC1 is connected by a current source I0P2 to the line 20 on which the power supply voltage appears.
  • the emitter of the NPN transistor QC5 is connected to a node 23 that is connected to a current mirror circuit described below in detail.
  • the output of the transistors QC1 and QC5 is provided by the first current path established therethrough and is delivered on output terminal 16 on their respective collectors.
  • the second complementary pair of transistors in the output stage 12 is provided by PNP transistor QC2 and NPN transistor QC6.
  • the transistors QC2 and QC6 are connected to provide a second current path that includes a current source I0P3 connected to the power supply line 20.
  • the emitter of the lower transistor QC6 is connected to a node 24 that is connected to the current mirror circuit described below.
  • the output of the complementary transistors QC2 and QC6 is delivered on terminal 17 from the collectors of the two transistors.
  • two additional pairs of complementary transistors are provided, each pair connected in parallel with the complementary transistors of the output circuit 12.
  • PNP transistor QC3 and NPN transistor QC7 are connected between the node 23 and the emitter of the PNP transistor QC1.
  • PNP transistor QC4 and NPN transistor QC8 are connected between the node 24 and the emitter of the output transistor QC2.
  • the current, therefore, flowing in the current flow path provided by the transistors QC4 and QC8 duplicates the current flowing in the output current flow path established by the transistors QC2 and QC6.
  • the collectors of the NPN transistors Q1 and Q2 of the input stage 11 are connected respectively to the emitters of the PNP transistors QC1 and QC3 and to the emitters of the PNP transistors QC2 and QC4.
  • the collectors of PNP transistors Q3 and Q4 of the input stage 11 are connected to the emitters of the NPN transistors QC5 and QC7 and to the emitters of NPN transistors QC6 and QC8 on respective nodes 23 and 24.
  • a biasing voltage VCP is applied to the bases of the output transistors QC1, QC2, QC3, and QC4.
  • a similar bias voltage VCN is applied to the bases of the output transistors QC5, QC6, QC7, and QC8.
  • the duplicating transistor circuit comprising transistors QC3, QC4, QC7, and QC8 provides the input to a current mirror that includes an NPN transistor Q7 connected between the power supply line 20 and a line connecting the bases of NPN transistors Q5 and Q6.
  • Transistor Q5 is connected between node 23 and ground line 21.
  • transistor Q6 is connected between node 24 and the ground line 21.
  • the base of the transistor Q7 is connected to the collectors of transistors QC3, QC4, QC7, and QC8 of the duplicating circuit, as well as to a node 30.
  • a current source ICMP is optionally provided between the node 30 and the power supply line 20, and, a current source ICMN is optionally provided between node 30 and the ground line 21.
  • the current sources ICMP and ICMN are required to implement dc common-mode feedback in order to have the otuputs swing around a given reference voltage, as customary in all fully differential operational amplifiers.
  • the transistors of the duplicating circuit including transistors QC3, QC4, QC7, and QC8 duplicate the common mode current that flows in the current flow paths of the output transistors QC1, QC5, QC2, and QC6.
  • the transistors QC3 and QC4, as mentioned, form the input to a mirror circuit, that is fed only by the common mode current.
  • the output of the mirror circuit is provided by transistors Q5 and Q6 that are connected in a cascode manner to nodes 23 and 24.
  • any change in the common mode current is reflected by the output of the current mirror circuit in transistors Q5 and Q6 to affect the current in the current flow paths of the respective complementary transistor pairs QC1 and QC5 and of transistors QC2 and QC6.
  • FIG. 2 A schematic diagram of a similar embodiment 35 is shown in Figure 2.
  • the circuit 35 is constructed similarly to the circuit 10 described above with reference to Figure 1, except that resistors R1 and R2 are substituted for transistors Q5 and Q6 of the mirror output circuit.
  • resistors R3 and R4 are substituted for current sources I0P2 and I0P3.
  • the collectors of the output current duplicating circuit transistors QC3, QC4, Q7 and Q8 are interconnected by a line 36 that also is connected to the bases of the NPN transistors Q5, Q6, Q7, and Q8.
  • the primary advantage of the circuit embodiment 35 of Figure 2 is its ability to operate with lower voltage power supplies. Thus, with respect to the Figure 2 embodiment, low voltage performance is realized using emitter resistors instead of current sources and mirrors.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Amplifiers (AREA)
EP93308504A 1992-10-30 1993-10-26 Amplificateur différentiel ayant une sortie équilibrée et une plage de signaux d'entrée de mode commun couvrant la tension d'alimentation Expired - Lifetime EP0595589B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US968886 1992-10-30
US07/968,886 US5294893A (en) 1992-10-30 1992-10-30 Differential output amplifier input stage with rail-to-rail common mode input range

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0595589A2 true EP0595589A2 (fr) 1994-05-04
EP0595589A3 EP0595589A3 (fr) 1994-10-12
EP0595589B1 EP0595589B1 (fr) 1998-01-07

Family

ID=25514900

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93308504A Expired - Lifetime EP0595589B1 (fr) 1992-10-30 1993-10-26 Amplificateur différentiel ayant une sortie équilibrée et une plage de signaux d'entrée de mode commun couvrant la tension d'alimentation

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US5294893A (fr)
EP (1) EP0595589B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH06237128A (fr)
DE (1) DE69316155T2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1997033365A1 (fr) * 1996-03-05 1997-09-12 Philips Electronics N.V. Amplificateur operationnel

Families Citing this family (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5523718A (en) * 1994-08-03 1996-06-04 Analog Devices, Inc. Balanced double-folded cascode operational amplifier
US5714906A (en) * 1995-08-14 1998-02-03 Motamed; Ali Constant transductance input stage and integrated circuit implementations thereof
US5764101A (en) * 1995-08-23 1998-06-09 National Semiconductor Corporation Rail-to-rail input common mode range differential amplifier that operates with very low rail-to-rail voltages
JP3463428B2 (ja) * 1995-10-17 2003-11-05 株式会社デンソー 差動型データ伝送装置
US6545538B1 (en) 2000-10-03 2003-04-08 Texas Instruments Incorporated Rail-to-rail class AB output stage for operational amplifier with wide supply range
US6486820B1 (en) 2001-03-19 2002-11-26 Cisco Systems Wireless Networking (Australia) Pty Limited Pipeline analog-to-digital converter with common mode following reference generator
US6577185B1 (en) 2001-03-19 2003-06-10 Cisco Systems Wireless Networking (Australia) Pty. Limited Multi-stage operational amplifier for interstage amplification in a pipeline analog-to-digital converter
DE10132803A1 (de) * 2001-07-06 2002-12-12 Infineon Technologies Ag Schnittstellenschaltung zum Anschluss an einen Ausgang eines Frequenzumsetzers
KR100560413B1 (ko) * 2003-10-13 2006-03-14 삼성전자주식회사 에이비급 레일-투-레일 연산 증폭기
JP4695621B2 (ja) 2007-04-25 2011-06-08 ルネサスエレクトロニクス株式会社 半導体回路
CN101340177B (zh) * 2007-07-02 2010-10-13 瑞昱半导体股份有限公司 信号处理电路
US7642853B2 (en) * 2007-08-23 2010-01-05 Qualcomm, Incorporated High-swing operational amplifier output stage using adaptive biasing
JP2009246934A (ja) * 2008-03-13 2009-10-22 Nec Electronics Corp 差動増幅器
US20140172343A1 (en) * 2012-12-13 2014-06-19 Infineon Technologies Ag Emulation System and Method
US8970304B2 (en) * 2013-01-11 2015-03-03 Qualcomm Incorporated Hybrid amplifier

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0159757A2 (fr) * 1984-04-19 1985-10-30 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Amplificateur à excursion d'entrée couvrant la tension d'alimentation et transconductance réglée
US4742309A (en) * 1986-12-31 1988-05-03 Dual-Lite Manufacturing Inc. Line receiver
US4797631A (en) * 1987-11-24 1989-01-10 Texas Instruments Incorporated Folded cascode amplifier with rail-to-rail common-mode range

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5006817A (en) * 1989-10-13 1991-04-09 Sierra Semiconductor Rail-to-rail CMOS operational amplifier

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0159757A2 (fr) * 1984-04-19 1985-10-30 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Amplificateur à excursion d'entrée couvrant la tension d'alimentation et transconductance réglée
US4742309A (en) * 1986-12-31 1988-05-03 Dual-Lite Manufacturing Inc. Line receiver
US4797631A (en) * 1987-11-24 1989-01-10 Texas Instruments Incorporated Folded cascode amplifier with rail-to-rail common-mode range

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1997033365A1 (fr) * 1996-03-05 1997-09-12 Philips Electronics N.V. Amplificateur operationnel
US5936468A (en) * 1996-03-05 1999-08-10 U.S. Philips Corporation Operational amplifier having two differential amplifiers
CN1079611C (zh) * 1996-03-05 2002-02-20 皇家菲利浦电子有限公司 运算放大器

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69316155T2 (de) 1998-04-16
EP0595589A3 (fr) 1994-10-12
JPH06237128A (ja) 1994-08-23
US5294893A (en) 1994-03-15
EP0595589B1 (fr) 1998-01-07
DE69316155D1 (de) 1998-02-12

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